posted 02-01-2012 09:39 AM
Seeing how the other day was the anniversary of the Challenger disaster, I decided to conduct a Google search on Roger Boisjoly who was part of Morton Thiokol's SRB O-ring task force and read that he passed away on Jan 6, 2012, at age 73.

Roger M. Boisjoly (1938-2012) was a mechanical engineer, fluid dynamicist and an aerodynamicist who worked for Morton Thiokol, the manufacturer of the solid rocket boosters for the Space Shuttle program. He is best known for raising objections to the launch of the Space Shuttle Challenger the day before the loss of the spacecraft and its crew.

Editor's note: The New York Times published an obituary on Friday, Feb. 3.

Mr. Boisjoly (pronounced like Beaujolais wine) died in Nephi, Utah, near Provo, on Jan. 6. He was 73. His death was reported only locally at the time. He lived in southwest Utah, in St. George. His wife, Roberta, said he recently learned he had cancer in his colon, kidneys and liver.

Until the Challenger disaster, Mr. Boisjoly was known in his field as a crackerjack troubleshooter who had worked for companies in California on lunar module life-support systems and the moon vehicle. In 1980, he accepted a cut in pay to move with his family to Utah to deepen his involvement in the Mormon religion and to join Morton Thiokol.

After the Challenger explosion, Mr. Boisjoly gave a presidential commission investigating the disaster internal corporate documents. His disclosure of the internal memo he had written six months before the disaster was regarded as a bombshell...

A moment of silence can be signified by a reply with no words and only a period.

Lasv3Member

Posts: 222From: Bratislava, SlovakiaRegistered: Apr 2009

posted 02-01-2012 10:56 AM
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KSCartistMember

Posts: 2488From: Titusville, FL USARegistered: Feb 2005

posted 02-01-2012 10:59 AM
I hope he went to his rest knowing he did all he could. God Bless him and his family.

sts205cdrMember

Posts: 534From: Sacramento, CARegistered: Jun 2001

posted 02-01-2012 11:57 AM
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GilbertMember

Posts: 935From: Carrollton, GA USARegistered: Jan 2003

posted 02-01-2012 12:14 PM
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domMember

Posts: 439From: Registered: Aug 2001

posted 02-01-2012 12:18 PM
A good man who you always felt carried the tragedy on his shoulders...

garymilgromMember

Posts: 1571From: Atlanta, GA, USARegistered: Feb 2007

posted 02-01-2012 12:40 PM
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kr4mulaMember

Posts: 599From: Cinci, OHRegistered: Mar 2006

posted 02-01-2012 12:48 PM
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randyMember

Posts: 1287From: West Jordan, Utah USARegistered: Dec 1999

posted 02-01-2012 01:35 PM
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Delta7Member

Posts: 1153From: Ossian IN USARegistered: Oct 2007

posted 02-01-2012 02:48 PM
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apollo11lem5Member

Posts: 528From: Seminole, Florida, United StatesRegistered: May 2000

posted 02-01-2012 04:18 PM
Roger was a true American patriot and personally I am very saddened to hear of Roger's passing. His life was pretty much ruined for doing the right thing. I will deeply miss his occasional phone call. He was an American treasure in the truest sense of the word! He was truly touched by a kind word of praise. Godspeed Roger.

onesmallstepMember

Posts: 508From: Staten Island, New York USARegistered: Nov 2007

posted 02-01-2012 04:29 PM
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Michael DavisMember

Posts: 353From: Houston, TexasRegistered: Aug 2002

posted 02-01-2012 04:56 PM
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ea757grrlMember

Posts: 555From: South CarolinaRegistered: Jul 2006

posted 02-01-2012 05:41 PM
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MBMember

Posts: 90From: Olmsted Falls, Ohio U.S.A.Registered: Jul 2005

posted 02-01-2012 06:25 PM
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JeffMember

Posts: 211From: Fayetteville, NC, USARegistered: May 2009

posted 02-01-2012 06:36 PM
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GACspaceguyMember

Posts: 1394From: Guyton, GA Registered: Jan 2006

posted 02-01-2012 06:44 PM
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jasonelamMember

Posts: 443From: Monticello, KY USARegistered: Mar 2007

posted 02-01-2012 06:58 PM
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Richard RogersMember

Posts: 49From: Desoto, TxRegistered: Sep 2011

posted 02-01-2012 08:55 PM
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brianjbradleyMember

Posts: 78From: Toronto, Ontario, CanadaRegistered: Dec 2010

posted 02-01-2012 09:47 PM
HIs whistle-blowing about the o-rings and continuing to spread the message of safety took real courage.

dss65Member

Posts: 821From: Sandpoint, ID, USARegistered: Mar 2003

posted 02-01-2012 10:01 PM
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mach3valkyrieMember

Posts: 183From: Albany, Oregon USARegistered: Jul 2006

posted 02-01-2012 10:22 PM
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capoetcMember

Posts: 1705From: Newnan GA (USA)Registered: Aug 2005

posted 02-01-2012 10:46 PM
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Jay GallentineMember

Posts: 249From: Shorewood, MN, USARegistered: Sep 2004

posted 02-01-2012 10:53 PM
Ugh. This is terrible news.

Over a decade ago, I corresponded very briefly with Mr. Boisjoly. He was an immensely gracious man. Below, completely unedited, are a few of the comments he made which I think reveal much about the kind of man he was.

I characterize myself as an ordinary man who was a good engineer that just happened to be placed into an extraordinary situation and who responded like I had always done for the previous 27 years of my aerospace career - standing up for what I knew was the right thing to do.

I want you to also know that although I wouldn't wish what I went through on anyone else, I wouldn't change it for me because the experience has made me an even better person and I have fully weathered the storm.

And yes, I would do it again in a heart beat if put into a similar situation today.

David CareyMember

Posts: 287From: Registered: Mar 2009

posted 02-01-2012 11:38 PM
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hlbjrMember

Posts: 321From: Delray Beach Florida USARegistered: Mar 2006

posted 02-02-2012 07:32 AM
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irish guyMember

Posts: 277From: Kerry IrelandRegistered: Dec 2001

posted 02-02-2012 10:09 AM
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ApolloAlexMember

Posts: 355From: Bromsgrove, EnglandRegistered: Oct 2004

posted 02-02-2012 10:52 AM
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KiteMember

Posts: 231From: Northampton UKRegistered: Nov 2009

posted 02-02-2012 12:06 PM
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garyd2831Member

Posts: 442From: Syracuse, New York, USARegistered: Oct 2009

posted 02-02-2012 12:47 PM
While I was only 8 years old at the time of the accident, I remember hearing about Roger and his role in the SRB O-ring situation and learned more about him over time.

This was gentleman who had ethics, integrity, morals, responsibility and self will to try and do the right thing. I only wish this world had more people like Roger Boisjoly.

I truly was saddened to read yesterday that he had passed just last month as I was doing a little more research on the Challenger accident. This is a topic of great interest and passion to me because I will always remember that day.

Sy LiebergotMember

Posts: 458From: Pearland, Texas USARegistered: May 2003

posted 02-02-2012 01:32 PM

quote:Originally posted by garyd2831:This was gentleman who had ethics, integrity, morals, responsibility and self will to try and do the right thing. I only wish this world had more people like Roger Boisjoly.

I agree. I use Roger as the perfect example of "doing all the right things" in my "Ethics In Engineering" lecture. RIP.

413 is inMember

Posts: 397From: Alexandria, VA USARegistered: May 2006

posted 02-02-2012 02:02 PM
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tegwilymMember

Posts: 2284From: Renton, WA USARegistered: Jan 2000

posted 02-02-2012 03:38 PM
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Roger was a hero for trying to save Challenger. A good guy.

dogcrew5369Member

Posts: 547From: Statesville, NCRegistered: Mar 2009

posted 02-03-2012 04:44 PM
He did it right. RIP.

machbustermanMember

Posts: 1657From: Dunfermline, Fife, ScotlandRegistered: May 2004

posted 02-04-2012 03:58 AM
A terrible way for someone to die, particularly when Roger himself went out on a limb and tried to prevent what turned out to be a national tragedy. The Challenger disaster was completely avoidable. The Morton Thiokol management knew the risks but advised NASA the data regarding the risks were inconclusive and when asked did not object to the launch.

Godspeed and RIP Mr Boisjoly.

Joel KatzowitzMember

Posts: 326From: Marietta GA USARegistered: Dec 1999

posted 02-04-2012 08:02 AM
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issman1Member

Posts: 888From: UKRegistered: Apr 2005

posted 02-04-2012 01:25 PM
I don't know what was more sad, the fact that Mr. Boisjoly was shunned by his co-workers or that only Sally Ride, then with NASA, thanked him for his courage in exposing his bosses in 1986.

But history was repeated 17 years later.

Jay ChladekMember

Posts: 2211From: Bellevue, NE, USARegistered: Aug 2007

posted 02-04-2012 02:31 PM
I hope Roger finally is at peace. It sounds like he made peace with his demons a few years ago, but now he really can rest in peace.

Reading "Truth, Lies and O-Rings" by Allan McDonald revealed a lot of factual data about the whole Challenger situation and what went on before and after. If you have not read that book, I urge you to pick up a copy as it really pulls no punches or tries to spin it into anything more than it is.

Considering Roger and Allan McDonald were the whistle-blowers on the O-ring situation, it is sad how Roger's post Challenger life was different from Allan's. Allan stuck it out at Thiokol for many years while Roger got out much sooner and it seems as though he got destroyed by the whole thing (with some of the damage being self inflicted). Allan said in his book that he believes the reason why that happened was Roger kept blaming himself and feeling like he should have done more and it ended up destroying him inside.